One year ago today...

I received a call from JD telling me to turn on the news. He was in LA, getting ready to catch a flight back home, and I was on my way to a friend's house. He said he'd received a call from Allen (his brother) and something was going on at Virginia Tech. When I got to my friend's house, I turned on the television and saw the events that were unfolding in Blacksburg. At 10:30 am, no one could have imagined how devastating the news would be. Later that evening, we learned that a student had entered West Ambler Johnston Hall (West AJ) and shot and killed two other students, and then a couple of hours later, he entered Norris Hall and shot many others, killing 30 of them.

The stories of horror, heroism, and miracles that followed these events still affect me today and probably will for the rest of my life. I didn't know anyone who was involved, but I know people who did. All of this happened in one of my favorite places on earth, in a sleepy little town that happens to be home to a wonderful university. I grew up in Blacksburg. I "found myself", established more of an identity, there. I met some wonderful people. I was married there. I lived in West AJ my freshman year. JD lived there his sophomore year. As an engineering student, JD had classes in Norris Hall. We both have wonderful memories that were made there.

Here is a link to pictures and brief biographies of the victims:
http://www.remembrance.vt.edu/

Here is a link to Nikki Giovanni's speech given at the memorial service:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Qx9dIr-68

I loved Blacksburg and Virginia Tech during the 5 years I lived there. Seeing how we responded to this tragedy caused me to love it even more!

We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.

We are Virginia Tech.

Prevail we have! Go Hokies!